CNN's Brian Stelter Calls Out the FCC's Limited' Power After CBS Spikes Colbert's Interview With Talarico: The Threat is the Point'

"But the FCC's enforcement powers are limited. The lone Democratic commissioner at the FCC, Anna Gomez, said [FCC Chair Brendan Carr's] claims were misleading: The FCC has not adopted any new regulation, interpretation, or Commission-level policy altering the long-standing news exemption or equal time framework."

"A source at the FCC reiterated that point, saying, Once again here, the threat is the point. The point is to force shows and networks to second-guess their decisions in light of this new' guidance, the source told CNN on condition of anonymity."

CBS lawyers blocked a planned Late Show interview between Stephen Colbert and Texas state representative James Talarico, citing recent FCC guidance on the equal-time rule. The guidance removes longstanding exemptions that had shielded late-night talk shows from candidate-appearance requirements. FCC Chair Brendan Carr floated the idea of removing the exemption, but the FCC has not adopted any new regulation, interpretation, or Commission-level policy altering the news exemption or equal time framework. Commissioner Anna Gomez described claims of new rules as misleading. FCC sources said the administration's threats aim to induce self-censorship by forcing networks to second-guess decisions despite limited enforcement authority.

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